Council

Local governments in Ontario must be transparent and accountable. However, municipal councils, local boards and their committees must meet behind closed doors on occasion to consider some matters.

The permitted reasons for going into a closed meeting session are:

• The security of property of the municipality or local board;
• Personal matters about an identifiable individual, including employees;
• A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land;
• Labour relations or employee negotiations;
• Litigation or potential litigation
• Advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege;
• A matter authorized by another provincial statute;
• If the subject matter relates to a request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; or
• The meeting is held for educating and training and no member discusses or deals with a matter in a way which materially advances the business or decision-making of the council or local board.

The Province of Ontario has set the rules for a council, local board or a committee to go into a closed meeting session. These rules are found in section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended. They must be strictly followed.

Only those issues which fall within the ‘closed meeting permitted reasons’ can be dealt with at the closed meeting session. All other matters must be deliberated by council or a committee at an open meeting.

Before council, a local board or a committee begins the closed meeting session, it must pass a resolution at a public meeting indicating that a closed meeting is being held and the general nature of the matter of which is to be considered. A closed meeting shall not be held by council, a local board or committee before this resolution is passed.

Any person has the right to request an investigation as to whether the municipality, local board or committee complied with the closed meeting rules established by the Province of Ontario or the Town’s Procedural By-law 2023-18. A request must be submitted in writing and should be directed to the municipal clerk unless there is provision for it to be sent directly to the municipality’s investigator.

The Office of the Ontario Ombudsman is the Closed Meeting Investigator for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury. The Ombudsman will conduct investigations upon receipt of a complaint in respect of meetings or parts of meetings that are closed to the public. The Ombudsman’s Office will determine compliance with the Act or the applicable Procedural By-law with respect to closed meetings and report on the results of such investigations.

To submit a request for a closed meeting investigation, please complete the online complaint form on the Ontario Ombudsman website.

Closed Meeting Investigation Request

The Ombudsman may also be contacted at:

Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario

483 Bay Street

10^th Floor, South Tower

Toronto, ON M5G 2C9

Toll-free (Ontario only): 1-800-263-1830
Outside Ontario: 416-586-3300
TTY (teletypewriter): 1-866-411-4211
Fax: 416-586-3485
Toll-free Fax: 1-866-863-2560
Email: info@ombudsman.on.ca

For more information on open meeting rules, please access the Ombudsman’s Open Meetings – Guide for Municipalities here: https://www.ombudsman.on.ca/have-a-complaint/who-we-oversee/municipalities/municipal-closed-meetings/open-meetings-guide-for-municipalities

1. The application of the code of conduct for members of council and members of local boards.
2. The application of any procedures, rules and policies of the municipality and local boards governing the ethical behaviour of members of council and of local boards.
3. The application of sections 5, 5.1 and 5.2 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act to members of council and of local boards.
4. Requests from members of council and of local boards for advice respecting their obligations under the code of conduct applicable to the member.
5. Request from members of council and of local boards for advice respecting their obligations under a procedure, rule or policy of the municipality or of the local board, as the case may be, governing the ethical behaviour of members.
6. Requests from members of council and of local boards for advice respecting their obligations under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
7. The provision of educational information to members of council, members of local boards, the municipality and the public about the municipality's codes of conduct for members of council and members of local boards and about the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury has appointed Principles Integrity to deliver the above services. If a member of the public wishes to submit a complaint with respect to a member contravening the Code of Conduct or the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, please complete the Complaint Form and submit it to Principles Integrity at postoffice@principlesintegrity.org.

For further information, the Integrity Commissioner can be contacted at:

Principles Integrity
Attention: Jeffrey A. Abrams and Janice Atwood-Petkovski
Tel: 647-259-8697
Email: postoffice@principlesintegrity.org